My 6 Year Journey
MyMalfunction7
Posts: 61 Member
Hello! My name is Sara, and I'm turning 21 in around a month. I've been overweight and painfully aware of it since I can remember.
I was over 200 pounds at 11 years old, and continued to steadily gain weight throughout the years. This was a combination of a lack of healthy cooking in my house, and a very sedentary lifestyle. I participated in Weight Watcher's with my dad when I was 12, and continued doing it until I was 14, and reached 300 pounds.
It was at this point that my parents and I first discussed weight loss surgery. They had both had the surgery- my mother was very successful keeping the weight off, my father slightly less so.
We met with Cincinnati Children's Hospital in later 2007, when I was 14, and 12/28/2008, at 326.9 pounds, I had a lapriscopic sleeve gastrectomy, which is different from traditional bariatric surgery in ways that don't interest anybody but me.
In May of 2010, I got down to 215- this was around the time of my junior prom.
But after that, because I hadn't made a serious lifestyle change, I gained a significant amount of it back. I started college in September of 2011, and was back up to 256 pounds.
I was still proud of my progress, but I wanted to commit to changing my life in some sort of concrete, maintainable way. I started going to the gym 3-5 days a week, and eating healthy (or as healthy as was possible in a college dormroom). The pounds started dropping off fairly immediately, and continued slowly dropping off - at the end of 2012, I was down to 202, at the end of 2013 I was 192 and, having started up on MyFitnessPal about a month ago, I'm now down to 180.5.
This is a panel of the last 40 or 50 pounds - I wish I had one from the beginning, but alas!
The weight loss surgery changed my life, and made me thin enough that I could take control of my diet and exercise without any physical limitations, and for that I am eternally grateful. It gave me a more normal high school experience, pretty much eliminated the horrific teasing I constantly experience, and gave me the confidence to make friends and pursue romantic relationships.
However, the weight loss change I am most proud of is the last 84.5 pounds- what I have done independently of the surgery. While I agree I did not have to put forth much effort to lose the weight directly post-surgery, I feel entirely responsible for the weight loss after college.
I am down 145.5 pounds as of today, and I have 20 pounds to go until I reach my goal weight!
Also, I would like to mention my older sister Lisa, (SubjectTwo on here) whose healthy and fast weight loss got me to join MFP and become more conscious of what I'm eating, and whose lifestyle changes have been an inspiration to me. She's my best friend and a great person.
I was over 200 pounds at 11 years old, and continued to steadily gain weight throughout the years. This was a combination of a lack of healthy cooking in my house, and a very sedentary lifestyle. I participated in Weight Watcher's with my dad when I was 12, and continued doing it until I was 14, and reached 300 pounds.
It was at this point that my parents and I first discussed weight loss surgery. They had both had the surgery- my mother was very successful keeping the weight off, my father slightly less so.
We met with Cincinnati Children's Hospital in later 2007, when I was 14, and 12/28/2008, at 326.9 pounds, I had a lapriscopic sleeve gastrectomy, which is different from traditional bariatric surgery in ways that don't interest anybody but me.
In May of 2010, I got down to 215- this was around the time of my junior prom.
But after that, because I hadn't made a serious lifestyle change, I gained a significant amount of it back. I started college in September of 2011, and was back up to 256 pounds.
I was still proud of my progress, but I wanted to commit to changing my life in some sort of concrete, maintainable way. I started going to the gym 3-5 days a week, and eating healthy (or as healthy as was possible in a college dormroom). The pounds started dropping off fairly immediately, and continued slowly dropping off - at the end of 2012, I was down to 202, at the end of 2013 I was 192 and, having started up on MyFitnessPal about a month ago, I'm now down to 180.5.
This is a panel of the last 40 or 50 pounds - I wish I had one from the beginning, but alas!
The weight loss surgery changed my life, and made me thin enough that I could take control of my diet and exercise without any physical limitations, and for that I am eternally grateful. It gave me a more normal high school experience, pretty much eliminated the horrific teasing I constantly experience, and gave me the confidence to make friends and pursue romantic relationships.
However, the weight loss change I am most proud of is the last 84.5 pounds- what I have done independently of the surgery. While I agree I did not have to put forth much effort to lose the weight directly post-surgery, I feel entirely responsible for the weight loss after college.
I am down 145.5 pounds as of today, and I have 20 pounds to go until I reach my goal weight!
Also, I would like to mention my older sister Lisa, (SubjectTwo on here) whose healthy and fast weight loss got me to join MFP and become more conscious of what I'm eating, and whose lifestyle changes have been an inspiration to me. She's my best friend and a great person.
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Replies
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Congratulations to you girl! YOU ROCK! Don't let anything stop you. You got this from now on.0
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wow congratulations what an awesome and inspiring story:)0
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You look great! I'm really proud of you!
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What a beautiful person you are.
Awesome.0 -
You are gorgeous. Thanks for sharing your story, amazing work.0
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Wow, I am in tears. Amazing work girl.0
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Oh my YOU are AMAZING !! So Happy for You !! :flowerforyou: Great Job
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Awesome. You look great!0
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Well done :flowerforyou:0
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You are an amazing inspiration! Congratulations!0
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congrats on the loss0
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This is so remarkable. Congratulations!0
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Thank you for posting and congratulations on your achievement. You have encouraged me today and I really needed it. You look awesome, and I can tell, by your words, that you also feel great too. Walk on!0
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My goodness YOU ARE inspiration, I am so HAPPY for you♥0
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great job !!0
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I just have to say that you were the cutest little kid! And of course, you've done an awesome job getting lean and healthy!0
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Well done! You look great and you look very happy. Thank you for sharing your inspirational story!0
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Awesome progress!! You look great! Would you mind sharing your weekly workout regimen? I am heaviest in my stomach and it's worse now after c-section.0
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You look amazing!! Congrats!!0
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Thanks everybody!0
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Awesome progress!! You look great! Would you mind sharing your weekly workout regimen? I am heaviest in my stomach and it's worse now after c-section.
I usually do 20-25 minutes either on the elliptical or walking/jogging (I'm going to do a 5k eventually), and then I'll do 3 sets of 10 on the leg press and the leg adductors and abductors. About once or twice a week, I'll do the ab room at Planet Fitness - if I do it more than that, I'm miserable haha. Because the summer's coming up, I'll probably be doing a lot more outdoor activities, like biking outside 0 -
Awesome job!!:explode:0
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You are awesome!!! Wow, what an amazing journey. You've overcome so many obstacles as such a young person. You're incredibly inspiring. Thanks for sharing 0
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Great story! You have done an amazing job and you look wonderful!!!0
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You've made an amazing transformation and are truly inspirational :flowerforyou:0
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Wonderful! Thanks for posting this; you have inspired!0
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Amazing job 0
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Thats an amazing journey!! Thank you for sharing with us :-)0
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Happy for you!! Be very proud of yourself! :flowerforyou:0
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This is an AWESOME story and I'm so proud of you and your accomplishments! Well done :flowerforyou: .0
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